Discussion: D.C. Eagle Nest Cam

Mr President and the First Lady have a couple new additions to the family...born last week. And unlike the private quarters in the White House, two 24/7 web cams have been placed so you can see how the babies are doing.

For those orienteers who enjoy seeing flora and fauna in natural settings, this is pretty interesting.

In our capital one wants to be the one pecking not pecked. Around here it's mostly just deer nibbling grass, though I do see the fox from time to time. Indeed fascinating to watch; most of the bald eagles I've seen have been in Canada, though I did see some over Quabbin Reservoir (which has a nice O map) in Massachusetts.

Well the fuzzy pair of American Eagles are now almost fully grown at six weeks old. And they're getting ready to 'fledge.' That is, finally fly from their nest.

If you haven't checked lately on this pair that were born March 18-20 in a tall tree in the National Arboretum near the Anacostia River in the District of Columbia, you may be amazed at how they've grown, developed a full coat of black eagle feathers, and spend much of their day pacing back and forth in the nest, flapping their wings, practicing for the Big Takeoff! Humorous and endearing!

So do your bird watching soon; it won't be long before they've 'flown the nest!'

Well tonight a dramatic thunder-n-lightning storm rolled over the Arboretum. And Mama eagle (The First Lady) was there, providing shelter in the storm, while rain drops appeared on her beak and dropped to the nest. And the two eaglets burrowed underneath her sheltering wings...just as any human babies might...seeking refuge from the scary lightning and thunder!

Happy 2017! Despite the drastic change of the nation's administration in Washington DC, the pair of American Bald Eagles has returned to the same nest on the Anacostia River in which they raised two healthy eaglets last spring.

This is mating season. And if you watch long enough, you may actually see 'The Act' in progress, with a lot of feathers flying and shrieking. In addition, the pair are preparing the nest. And maybe several eggs will appear before long. The same nestcams are functioning well, with the nice addition of audio.

Watching this pair, living in nature and raising a family, is a nice reminder that despite all the changes going on near by, some things never change. And the world continues to turn....

During the current snowstorm and freezing rain, our pair of DC eagles are huddled together in a heartwarming display of dedicated parenthood.

On Monday night, 4"-6" of snow fell, filling the eagles' nest. Then freezing rain began to drench the mother eagle on the nest, as she tried to warm her two eggs due to hatch around April 1. So around 4-5am this morning, her mate, Mr President, joined her to protectively share his body heat.

Now at 7am, covered with snow and ice, drenched to the bone, the pair make a touching scene of dedication and love enduring through misery.

Don't mean to intrude on O discussions. But a second pair of eagles we've been watching in Washington DC just hatched their first chick about 2pm today. And in the middle of a nest still full of snow and ice! If you scroll down on that page, you'll see photos of the laborious hatching, which has been going on for several days since the first crack appeared!

Mother eagle is very protective of the newborn, keeping her safe from the elements. But with patience you may catch a glimpse of the chick. One more egg still to hatch in this nest. Meanwhile papa eagle is piling up the edge of the nest with large fish. Great entertainment for us bird watchers!

The first 'pip' in one of the eagles' eggs has appeared! Which means it won't be long before the nest has a couple fluffy eaglet chicks, and attentive parents, feeding bits of fish to impossibly small beaks!

OK. Sorry to keep intruding on discussions about maps, The Pig, and the latest Garmin. But the second eaglet chick (DC5) was hatched yesterday while the mother (The First Lady) was industriously feeding her first-born bits of fish. The family is now complete!

DC5 emerged into the world soaking wet, scrawny, and looking like a preemie. And was quickly covered up by his mother's sheltering wing...before she took a break, and left the twins to their father, who arrived seconds after her departure. I hope you will check this site often over the next two months, as these eaglets mature and learn to fly. 'Armchair' birding at its finest!

For us bird and nature lovers on A/P, we look forward to following the dramatic story of the pair of American eagles that annually nest along the Anacostia River in Washington DC. The cameras should be turned on around January 1 so we can follow their 2018 efforts to bring young eaglets into the world, feed and shelter them, until they fledge and fly away 5-6 months later.

But meanwhile, a pair of eagles in SW Florida have built a nest and laid two eggs last week. You can follow their activities right now, on this link. My thanks to Walter Lyons for first introducing us to this pair.

Pretty much on schedule, the first SW Florida eaglet began to chip his way out of his shell at 8:30 this morning. If you'd like to witness the 'Miracle of Life' first hand, as the little eaglet works for his freedom, take a look. It's a long process.

The DC eagle nest in the National Arboretum along the Anacostia River is suddenly seeing some action from our enduring pair of eagles, Mr President and The First Lady. The cameras have been turned on, and the pair is busy building their nest. Mr President (the smaller of the two) seems extremely attentive to TFL...avidly following her as she flys back and forth, bringing new sticks and nesting material.

Meanwhile the SW Florida eaglets are now two weeks old, and spending most of their days being fed by their parents, surveying their domain, and pegging their way around the nest on their elbows. Great entertainment!

A new eagle pair in California's Big Bear Lake area has just hatched two eaglets this week. The daytime temps are in the low 30's, so mama eagle is protecting the new-borns most of the time. But with a little patience, you can witness a feeding session.

Meanwhile our DC pair continues to work on their nest, with anticipation of a couple of eggs before too much longer.

Spring is here: The Eagle nest on the Anacostia River in Washington DC has two new occupants. One eaglet born Saturday; another is pecking his way out of his shell this afternoon. With any luck we'll see him emerge before nightfall!

Tragedy! Those in California know the intense storms that swept over the state this week. Unfortunately it was too much ice, snow and cold rain (near freezing) over too long a period for our 5wk old eaglets at Big Bear Lake. The younger eaglet died earlier today.

The eaglet's body is still in the nest this afternoon...pitifully his brother has tried repeatedly to cozy up to the body, trying to instill life. Meanwhile mother eagle perches nearby, staring out at the lake, depressed, wondering what she could have done to save her youngster.

For those bird watchers amongst us, the pair of DC eagles finally have their first eaglet, hatched yesterday. The second eaglet appears to be pecking out of his shell this afternoon. Great dual-camera views of the small creatures.